Excerpt:

INTRODUCTION

In the spring of 2006 I published Asperger Syndrome, An Owner's Manual: What You, Your Parents and Your Teachers Need to Know. As I worked on this resource primarily for middleschool age children with AS, I knew that I would want to create something for the older adolescents and adults with whom I work. This, then, is Volume 2: What You, Your Family and Friends, and Your Employer, Need to Know. Like its predecessor, it is an interactive workbook designed to assist users in identifying their unique profiles in order to devise appropriate and customized interventions and strategies. It can be completed independently, but in most cases is better done with the assistance of a coach, therapist, or advocate. Parents are also likely to be important contributors, even for adults.

The book is based on the premise that, despite a common diagnosis, each individual with Asperger Syndrome (AS) is genuinely unique and that to create successful plans for living, learning and, yes, loving, with AS, strategies must be derived from the individual's profile. Generic strategies don't always apply; one size does not fit all.

This volume is intended for older adolescents (16+) and for adults on the spectrum who have the desire to enhance their quality of life and achieve unmet goals. It is most appropriate for people on the "upper" end of the spectrum (Asperger Syndrome and high-functioning autism). It will require users to

• Work on identifying behaviors they exhibit that may be hindering them;
• Identify neurotypical behavior;
• Try out the "un-natural" in order to improve in certain areas.

Self-awareness, like so many other skills, can be acquired through hard work and practice. Motivation and willingness to try are the key requisites for success with this workbook.

What I hope users will accomplish is an understanding of the ways in which Asperger Syndrome affects them personally and to use that information to make plans, adjustments and

strategies that will lead them to accomplish self-set goals and improve their life situations.

Overview of the Book

This workbook is divided into two main parts. The focus of the first section is on assisting users in gathering information, both general and specific, about Asperger Syndrome and about themselves. The second part of the book guides users in a process of translating the information they have gathered into plans for achieving the goals they have identified. Within this section you will find strategies, suggestions and adjustments that can be helpful for minimizing constraints and maximizing opportunities to achieve goals. When knowledge and understanding connect with goals and strategic planning, you can anticipate more control of life circumstances, ideally, resulting in a more fulfilling life experience.

We will use the nonagram to visually guide us through the workbook. The nonagram, or ninepointed star, is a symbol of achievement and completeness. As the last single digit in the decimal number system, nine is a number of fulfillment, fullness and limits. As we proceed through the book, we will complete more and more of the star, which will be represented by grey shading.